On the eve of the inauguration for the third term of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, authorities in the South American country offered a US$100,000 reward for anyone who can inform how to find the opponent Edmundo González, the candidate who contested the election against Maduro on July 28, 2024 .
After going into exile in Spain, Edmundo promises to return to Venezuela, after touring Latin American countries, starting with Argentina. Maduro’s inauguration is scheduled for January 10th. The opposition has said that the election was rigged, as data by polling station was not released. On the other hand, the government maintains that there is an ongoing coup attempt with support from the United States (USA).
In this context, Venezuela’s Penal, Scientific and Criminal Investigations Corps (CICPC) released, this Thursday (2), posters with Edmundo’s photo announcing the reward for information leading to his arrest. He is accused of crimes such as conspiracy, complicity in acts of violence against the Republic, falsification of documents, instigation to disobey the law, association to commit crime, among others.
González was accused of inciting a coup d’état by not recognizing the official election results issued by Venezuela’s electoral and judicial institutions. Then, an agreement with the government allowed the opponent to went into exile in Spain.
Manifestations
Now, Edmundo says he will return to Venezuela and the opposition has called for events on January 10, the date of Maduro’s inauguration as president for the 2025-2031 term. “I want to ask all Venezuelans to make a commitment together to enforce this mandate in 2025. See you on the streets of our beloved country,” Edmundo said on a social network.
In the days leading up to his inauguration, González promises to tour Latin American countries. This Saturday (4), Edmundo will be received in Argentina by the ultra-rightist president Javier Milei. On the same day, the Venezuelan politician should be received by the president of Uruguay, in Montevideo, Luís Lacalle Pou.
At the same time, Chavistas have called for demonstrations to defend Maduro’s inauguration. “On January 10, 2025, we will take to the streets by the millions to swear for Venezuela and Independence. I swear by Bolívar, by Zamorra and by Hugo Chávez that this Presidential House will never fall into the hands of a puppet of the oligarchy, nor of imperialism”, said Maduro in a demonstration this week in Miraflores, headquarters of the country’s Executive.
Brazil, if invited to the inauguration, must send the Brazilian ambassador in Caracas, Glivânia Maria de Oliveira, to the ceremony. The Brazilian government’s refusal to recognize Maduro’s victory without presenting the electoral records has created friction in relations between Brasília and Caracas, which has even accused Itamaraty of blocking its entry into BRICS.
Understand
The opposition and several countries, such as the United States and the European Union, as well as international and electoral organizations, have pointed out that the Venezuelan election did not comply with the country’s rules by not carrying out planned audits and not disclosing data by electoral boardas has always happened.
The acts that contested the electoral result after July 28, 2024 led to dozens of deaths and more than 2,000 prisoners. In recent weeks, Venezuelan justice has released more than a thousand people detained in demonstrations.
In turn, the government argued that the elections were ratified by the country’s institutions, both the National Electoral Council (CNE) and the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ). With this, it has demanded that the opposition respect the court’s decision and that foreign governments do not interfere in Venezuela’s internal issues.
